Diluting MLAs’ rightsINDIA is taking the wrong route to electoral reforms. Now the emphasis is on stripping the voters, even if they are honourable members of Vidhan Sabhas, of their right to vote according to their choice.

Dialogue helps, but...SHOULD India and Pakistan hold talks on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session to begin soon in New York? The question is being discussed again after President Pervez Musharraf has expressed his desire “to pick up the threads left at Agra”.

Power shock in HimachalTHE 15 per cent power tariff hike in Himachal Pradesh announced by the state electricity regulatory commission on Monday against the 30 per cent increase sought by the HPSEB will hurt the domestic consumer more than the corporate user, but both can take heart from the fact that the step is based on professional considerations rather than being politically motivated.

BJP’s ‘Congressisation’ problemWho cares for constitutional propriety?S. Nihal Singh
HOME Minister L.K. Advani’s recent warning to his partymen that they should guard against being “Congressised” comes rather late in the day. If the beginning of the end of the Congress Party came with Indira Gandhi starving it at the roots and substituting genuine party workers with wheeler-dealers, the Bharatiya Janata party is well on the road to decline.

MIDDLE

Goodbye to a
nymphTrilochan Singh Trewn
WE arrived Bordeaux in Bay of Biscay early June with fine weather around. Scheduled halt was for 10 days, to pick up soyabean for Naples. My duties as Chief Engineer permitted plenty of flexibility in daily routine. Our two-deck cadets were resourceful and used to bring us farfetched general information.

INDIA
is taking the wrong route to electoral reforms. Now the emphasis is on stripping the voters, even if they are honourable members of Vidhan Sabhas, of their right to vote according to their choice. The Union Cabinet decided on Monday to end the secret ballot in the election of Rajya Sabha members and force every MLA to proclaim his choice in open. The model is the way voting takes place in the Lok Sabha, the Rajya Sabha and all Vidhan Sabhas. All will press a button in favour of a candidate and recalcitrant party men favouring a non-party candidate will be found out. This exposure is believed to curb the tendency of what is known as cross-voting. It may but it grossly violates the first principle of election. In the general election, either to the Assembly or the Lok Sabha, secret ballot is the norm. Nobody should know whom an individual voter preferred to insulate him from outside pressure. Democracy demands that every man and woman feels perfectly free to select his or her candidate in a totally free environment. This is the key to the concept of free and fair election. This is sacrosanct and is inviolate.

Voting in Parliament and Assemblies is open and for a very good reason. There the issues that affect the public or the common people are decided and every voter has a right to know how his representative acted. Here the member is not selecting a person but a policy and a policy is crucial to all. In effect, a decision on a person is a judgement on merit but one on policy is one on social welfare. In the first case individuals should have the right of choice and in the second the political parties as collectivities should lay down the rule. Often, a political party imposes the candidates close to the high command in New Delhi and expects the MLAs to toe the line. They revolt as Congressmen did three years ago in Maharashtra (the defeat of Mr R.D.Pradhan) and in UP when two BJP nominees just scraped through contrary to its strength. The solution is not in sniffing out the right to revolt but in accommodating dissent. All parties should leave the choice to the respective legislature parties with a request to favour a particular candidate who is valuable to the central leadership.

The other decision to drop the domicile condition is absurd. The Rajya Sabha is actually the Council of States and is the House of Elders. It is the moderating influence and should have eminent men who do not want to enter the hurly-burly of elections but can serve the country. In recent years the one person comes to the mind is Mr Ranganath Mishra, former Chief Justice of India, whom the Congress nominated and got elected from Orissa. Three NDA Cabinet Ministers, Mrs Sushma Swaraj and Arun Shourie (from UP) Mr Venkaiah Naidu (Karnataka) and two junior Ministers, Mr Arun Jaitly (Gujarat) and O. Rajagopal (Madhya Pradesh) represent states they do no belong to. Hence the urgency to change the rule.

SHOULD
India and Pakistan hold talks on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session to begin soon in New York? The question is being discussed again after President Pervez Musharraf has expressed his desire “to pick up the threads left at Agra”. Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee has, however, made it clear that there is no possibility of such an exercise in New York. If there is an opportunity for a dialogue Mr Vajpayee will prefer a venue in either India or Pakistan. India has reiterated the position it had taken before the unsuccessful Agra summit — that there is no point in holding parleys unless there is the “right atmosphere” for the purpose. The argument being advanced by New Delhi is that since Pakistan refuses to rein in cross-border terrorism, any talks will be an exercise in futility. Islamabad is not prepared even to review its viewpoint on terrorist killings. It still insists on describing Kashmiri terrorists as “freedom fighters” despite the remark General Musharraf made on the October 1 bomb blasts at the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly that it was an act of terrorism. When there is such a great divergence of opinion, holding a dialogue between the heads of government of the two countries will be meaningless. It is necessary to prepare the ground for the purpose so that any future meeting does not go the Agra way. There is no agenda at the moment. It is not known if Pakistan is ready to discuss anything other than its obsession — Kashmir. All western leaders who have come to New Delhi via Islamabad, including the latest visitor, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, after the US-led military action began in Afghanistan have said little beyond stating their view that India and Pakistan must talk to each other at a venue of their convenience. They have avoided mentioning that cross-border terrorism and matters relating to trade, culture, etc, should form part of the agenda as these may help untie the Kashmir knot. One can understand that the agenda has to be decided by the parties concerned. But why is Islamabad silent on the matter when it is so desperate about parleys at this point of time?

Of course, there is no harm in holding talks. The world knows no better method than a recourse to a dialogue to improve relations. But it is no child’s play when complicated issues are involved as is the case between India and Pakistan. It requires adequate preparations and an undoubted willingness to act on positive lines. There is no such thing one can see right now. Simply saying that we should sit across the table to exchange views will not do. General Musharraf needs this to divert the attention of the Pakistani public from what is happening in Afghanistan. He perhaps thinks that a fresh focus on Kashmir can help him at a time when his position as President is seriously threatened. But that is his problem. Why should India fall into the trap?

THE
15 per cent power tariff hike in Himachal Pradesh announced by the state electricity regulatory commission on Monday against the 30 per cent increase sought by the HPSEB will hurt the domestic consumer more than the corporate user, but both can take heart from the fact that the step is based on professional considerations rather than being politically motivated. Besides, the electricity rates in the state are still among the lowest in the country. Himachal is way ahead of many states as for as power reforms are
concerned. The Punjabi farmer gets free power supply, wastes a lot and is made to pay for it
indirectly. Politicians scuttle power reforms, whenever initiated under central pressure. Himachal at least has a regulator who decides on a tariff change on merit. However, this is not going to deter the Congress from politically cashing in on the situation. It had warned of an agitation if the tariff hike was effected. Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, who sees the Congress hand in everything that goes wrong, has lost no time in blaming the opposition party for this unpleasant step. That this is the third increase in the electricity charges during the three and a half years of the BJP-HVC government’s coming to power may work in favour of the Congress. With a comparatively lower purchasing power, the Himachal consumer is not used to such frequent shocks. Politics apart, this is not the time for a face-off. All the major parties need to work together to tap the vast power potential of the state encouraging private sector participation.

Even after paying the 15 per cent power tariff hike and the winter surcharge of 25 paise per unit, the Himachal consumer is not assured of regular power supply. Power cuts have become frequent. Being dependent largely on hydel generation, the state has surplus power in summer, but as winter sets in, demand picks up and generation declines with the reduction in water discharge. Against a demand for 95 lakh units, the state manages to get only 75 lakh units. To meet the shortfall, the HPSEB looks up to the Centre or Punjab for help. But this situation may not last long. Power projects undertaken over the years are nearing completion. The four big projects 1500 MW Nathpa-Jhakri, the 300 MW Chamera-II, the 300 MW Baspa project and 126 MW Darji project — are likely to be implemented in the next three years. That would make Himachal truely power surplus. Meanwhile, the state can tie up with the Punjab State Electricity Board for power in winter. In Punjab the demand for power is higher in summer and declines in winter. The two states can enter into a give-and-take deal for mutual benefit. Ultimately, power reforms will have to be pushed and the consumer will have to prepare himself to pay user charges as the power boards, already in a financial mess, cannot be sustained on subsidies for long.

HOME Minister L.K. Advani’s recent warning to his partymen that they should guard against being “Congressised” comes rather late in the day. If the beginning of the end of the Congress Party came with Indira Gandhi starving it at the roots and substituting genuine party workers with wheeler-dealers, the Bharatiya Janata party is well on the road to decline.

True, a primary motivation of Mrs Gandhi was to clear the way for Sanjay Gandhi’s succession, but it was tempting to perform the arduous task of running a ruling party in India’s chaotic system of parliamentary democracy with the help of those who could achieve targets, whatever their methods. In the BJP’s case, morality, conventions and constitutional propriety are being sacrificed to the sole aim of staying in power.

Nothing illustrates this better than the BJP leadership’s choice of two Chief Ministers, most recently in Gujarat. Mr Rajnath Singh has demonstrated how the affairs of Uttar Pradesh can be subordinated to the objective of winning the next elections. Two of his predecessors, in particular Mr Kalyan Singh, were unceremoniously axed, one of them turning hostile. In Gujarat, Mr Narendra Modi, with his Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh antecedents, replaced a protesting Keshubhai Patel, his brief being to stem the run of electoral reverses.

Uttar Pradesh occupies the pride of place in the BJP’s scheme of things because the state has traditionally had much political weight. If the party loses power in the looming State Assembly elections, it would not be for want of trying. Mr Rajnath Singh has pulled out all the stops, further sub-dividing caste-based electoral politics, and giving himself a pat on the back through lavish advertisements in the Press. Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee had earlier come to the Chief Minister’s rescue by giving Western UP leader Ajit Singh his pound of flesh by inducting him into the federal Cabinet as Food Minister.

A jaded political class still respectful of Mr Vajpayee for his long political innings and reputed moderation was jolted by a cynical act. Even a Congress party in its quest for retaining power had refrained from executing in its long years in office. A commission was appointed by the Prime Minister to investigate the conduct of Defence Minister George Fernandes, among others, following the Tehelka.com revelations. Mr Fernandes resigned, as was only appropriate in the face of corruption charges made against his Samata Party and its president, but even before he was cleared by the commission, he was reinstated.

The constitutional impropriety of this act was so appalling that political parties and pundits, irrespective of political affiliation, were desperately searching for an appropriate adjective to describe it. They are still searching. The motive was plain, if Machiavellian. To keep the 24-party coalition intact, it was safer to have Mr Fernandes in the Union Cabinet than have a loose cannon outside the power structure. External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh had kept the seat warm for him, holding the additional Defence portfolio, and the commission having sought an extension to complete its enquiry, Mr Fernandes became restive.

So obsessed is the BJP with the elections in UP that it is holding the party and the government hostage to them. The BJP government in UP was born in sin, through the transparent and cynical expedient of encouraging defections. Given the party’s poor performance in the state on the basis of any national criterion, a new Chief Minister had to be installed to give the BJP a new face. Mr Rajnath Singh did not disappoint his mentors and recently threw out the leader of an allied party and swallowed it in a game of realpolitik that won his opponents’ envy.

Mr Modi, only just installed on the Chief Minister’s gaddi in Gandhinagar, has still to prove his credentials. If his performance as a BJP general secretary in New Delhi, brazenly justifying every indefensible act of the government and party, is anything to go by, he is promising material in the Rajnath Singh mould. To a greater extent than any other state, Gujarat has been the laboratory of the BJP’s Hindutva experiments. The party leadership is relying on him to obfuscate its poor performance by making the Hindutva diet more appealing even if his government cannot adequately perform the job of governance.

It must be said to the credit of Mr Advani that he does not shy away from telling a few home truths. On the occasion of the party’s anniversary celebrations, he beat the Ayodhya drum by declaring that it was only by tapping into the potential of the religious message of the temple that the BJP was able to arrive at its present position of power. He is right even if he chose to slur over the incendiary nature of the Rath Yatra he conducted, often leading behind a trail of riots and blood.

Even as the UP elections approach, the allied Vishwa Hindu Parishad is busy rekindling the Ayodhya fire by flouting the Supreme Court order on the Ayodhya site. Mr Vajpayee has been making appropriate noises on trying to resolve the issue by the March 12 deadline set by the Sangh Parivar’s Dharam Sansad although the BJP leadership has still to decide how hard to exploit the issue again in the elections. The UP electorate will be a shade more cynical in swallowing the Ayodhya bait this time around.

If it took the Congress several decades to scuttle the Grand Old Party for immediate short-term gains, it has taken the BJP only a few years in power at the federal level to sacrifice constitutional propriety and good governance at the altar of staying in power. At one time, Mrs Gandhi was responsible for communalising politics by making a publicised round of temples to achieve short-term electoral advantage as her son Rajiv was successful to exploit the communal card in the election campaign he won so handsomely after her assassination. But for the BJP, the Hindutva philosophy represents the Sangh Parivar’s conviction and it has been decided by the party leadership that its first priority must be to retain power at the federal level and in UP and Gujarat in particular.

In the process, the BJP has decided to place national interests in the second place and smudge Mr Vajpayee’s repatriation as a leader prepared to steer the ship of state above partisan advantage. This apparent decision is doubly unfortunate because it comes at a testing time with the American campaign against terrorism reviving Pakistan’s profile as the frontline state and beginning an era of new strife in the already war-ravaged Afghanistan. In a historical perspective, the BJP’s selfish cynicism will remain as a blot on its record as a party that failed the nation.

WE arrived Bordeaux in Bay of Biscay early June with fine weather around. Scheduled halt was for 10 days, to pick up soyabean for Naples. My duties as Chief Engineer permitted plenty of flexibility in daily routine. Our two-deck cadets were resourceful and used to bring us farfetched general information.

On third day cadets excitedly brought a photograph showing a palatial chateau with abundance of gladius and tulip roses in front. Inset was a French cine actress Eva Barbara. The two-acre sprawling villa was located in the district of Cognac, northeast of Bordeaux. The debonair damsel was keen to visit our ship and interact with Indian ethos. Cadets had invited her to our ship along with her boyfriend as their private guests. The captain advised that visitors would be ship’s guests.

Eva with her retinue arrived in her Rolls Royce. She was immacutely dressed in a formal aquamarine sparkling gown from Yves Saint Laurent sporting a mother of pearl necklace and a Christian Dior scarf. Her matching shoes were from famous Gianni Versale,
Italy. She looked babylike in her 23rd year of birth. Officers and crew stared at her as if to have seen a French beauty matching a nymph for first time. Eva spoke mostly in faltering English or French. She shook hands with all on board and gave autographs.

Before sitting down for a pure vegetarian dinner she presented us with an album of her latest French movie. She wrote in the ship’s visitors book in artistic French; “J’amie ce bateau et ses marins” (I love this ship and all those who sail in her). We also notice that her diamond-studded cigarette lighter was from the famous house of Lindt of Switzerland and that she was using the most expensive French perfume called “Coca Chanel Perfum”. We presented her with a copy of a book on Kangra paintings. She invited all of us for dinner the next day.

Her chateau was lavishly furnished. Glamour of ltalian mosaic work in each bathroom was enhanced by liberal use of “opium pour homme eau de toilet spray”. She entertained us with a French evening treat, including choicest French wines and cheeses. Everyone of us vied with each other to be near her and have her attention. The bonhomie continued during our remaining days of stay in harbour. Just before we sailed for Naples to return after two weeks she arranged to deliver a mini flask for each of us of fragrance called “Jean Patou Paris”, a gift which we shall ever remember.

We were back on the same terminal after 14 days. Soon after the ship secured, cadets telephoned and found out that Eva Barbara had met with a serious road accident eight days ago. Her friend and driver were dead. She had both arms and legs badly crushed with severely bruised face beyond recognition. Chest bones were also affected. She was shifted from county hospital emergency ward to her chateau on the sixth day and had escaped almost certain death. No part of her body was unhurt except eyes, heart and the abdomen area.

When this news was received there was a sudden cold silence amongst all members of ship’s company. Soon two cars from Eva’s bungalow arrived in anticipation. Drivers enquired from the sailors whether they would like to proceed to Cognac. There was no response from any of those 48 persons who were once vying with each other to catch Eva’s attention. It was decided that the cadets and myself should go and see her. We saw her all bandaged from head to toes except her two bright searching eyes as if they were trying to say something as she could not speak. On my return to ship I asked shipmates whether they would like to see
Ev

a the next day. They all gave a stock reply: “What is there to see now”.

We have been receiving letters on the launching of our NCR (National Capital Region) edition from Delhi. Here is a representative of the views of our readers:

Great history of service

I am glad to learn that The Tribune, Chandigarh, has launched the National Capital Region edition from Delhi.

The Tribune with a great history of service for over a century has indeed carved out a niche for itself on account of objective reporting of matters of public interest.

Please accept my congratulations and best wishes for the success of your venture.

Dr Adarsh Sein Anand,
Chief Justice of India, New Delhi

Unique image

I am very pleased to know that The Tribune has launched its NCR edition from Delhi. The Tribune has a very distinct and unique personality in the Indian print media. I am sure that Delhi edition of Tribune will constitute yet another important milestone in its long history of service to the people of India.

Dr Manmohan Singh,
Leader of Opposition, (Rajya Sabha), New Delhi

Close link

Warm congratulations upon launching the new edition. I recall that my family was closely involved with the setting up of this public trust. I take this opportunity to send you and your colleagues my warm greetings on this happy occasion.

Dr Karan Singh,
Member of Parliament, (Rajya Sabha), New Delhi

Bold decision

I must congratulate you for a bold decision and a big achievement in bringing out the Tribune from Delhi. This shall be greeted by the large Punjabi population settled in Delhi who have been wedded to The Tribune right from Lahore days. We have been hearing the murmuring for a long time but nobody could take this decision. The Tribune will definitely march ahead and will take its place among the people here. I am sure that this decision of yours will be highly appreciated.

Tarlochan Singh,
Vice Chairman, National Commission for Minorities, New Delhi

Excellent news

It is an excellent news that The Tribune has come out with a daily four-page colour pullout of the National Capital Region from October 20. You have my best wishes. I need hardly say that I shall always be available for any assistance to make this venture a splendid success.

Kartar Singh
Duggal, Member of Parliament, (Rajya Sabha), New Delhi

Family member

The Tribune has been our addiction. It is like a family member. Its growth makes us happy. Credibility, objective reporting, non-partisan views and propagation of liberal and secular ideals are “the pillars on which The Tribune edition”, as you put it, “has been built”. Its execellent printing too needs to be noted. We hope that all this and much more will ensure the success of its new venture. Please accept our good wishes.

Allow us to make some observations which you may consider negative. The Tribune is run by a Trust. However, it has not escaped from some of the vices of the national print media controlled by big business. Nor has it escaped from the effect on print media of the policy of globalisation, liberalisation and privatisation.

There are too many advertisements. News on stock exchange, share values are of interest to the upper middle class only. Sports news cover certain space. Science Tribune, Education Tribune, Health Tribune etc. are all no doubt useful and helpful but the biggest casualty has been news about common people. News important for the middle class gets left out because of lack of space. When I (Satya Pal) was a student of Class VIII or IX, my father told me to read The Tribune because “it would improve your knowledge of English”. I heeded this advice and it helped me a lot.

Satya Pal Dang & Vimla Dang,
Chheharta (Amritsar)

Reputed daily

The Tribune Group of newspapers has gained tremendous popularity among the people by its unbiased reporting and upholding the rich literary and cultural values of the country. It is good to see that unlike other newspapers, The Tribune has not fallen into the wily grip of business icons. The Tribune shares a reputation for integrity and independent commitment with its numerous readers.

Your devoted efforts and able guidance is responsible for boosting the image of The Tribune, the heritage paper to acquire a national stature. Above all, your editorials and articles have become immensely popular among the readers and it will not be an exaggeration to comment that your ideological thoughts imbued with cultural values have made a marked impact on the various communities. Your newspaper has always spread the message of national integration through its vibrant coverage of national events by voicing the feelings and aspirations of the general public.

We hope that The Tribune will touch newer heights of glory under your able leadership.

It is a pleasure to learn that the Tribune has accomplished another landmark by launching its National Capital Region edition. The Tribune has a special place in the hearts of people of this region and now it is the turn of the people of Delhi and its surrounding to get their share of this institution. A lot of credit goes to you personally as its leader for many years during which time the Tribune has achieved many such landmarks.

I send my best wishes and congratulations to you and the whole Tribune family.

Dr B K Sharma,
Emeritus Professor Internal Medicine, PGI, Chandigarh

Normative focus

Congratulations on the glorious launch of your Delhi NCR edition. It is a tribute to your sustained resolve and commitment to extend the frontiers of The Tribune. I equally applaud your reiteration of the normative focus of your newspaper -- to reinforce a liberal, secular and safforn-free ethos.

Dr D R Sharma,
Professor of English, Panjab University, Chandigarh

Long-felt need

By launching the Delhi NCR edition of The Tribune, you have fulfilled a long-felt need. I am sure, the NCR edition would be a resounding success. Like many other people in Haryana and Delhi, I am emotionally attached to The Tribune as an institution and always wish it well.

D R
Chaudhry, Rohtak

Worthy venture

Yours is a worthy endeavour that deserves to be applauded. Let us in the India Press Agency (IPA), and myself personally, join in adding more value to this venture.

O P
Sabherwal, India Press Agency, New Delhi

Special place

It gives me great pleasure to learn about your NCR Delhi edition. As a regular subscriber of The Tribune for many decades, I have always found this newspaper very informative and impartial. I am confident that under your able leadership, NCR Tribune will definitely carve out a niche for itself among the readers of Delhi.

Bhupinder Singh
Jauhar, Jamna Auto Industries Ltd, Yamunanagar

Reliable news

The Bank of Punjab has always relied on The Tribune for its coverage of events in the region and communicating to the public on its new products and services launched from time to time. We would be happy to associate with NCR Tribune and we wish all success for this venture.

Tejbir Singh,
Executive Director, Bank of Punjab Ltd, Gurgaon

Clean journalism

It gives me immense pleasure that The Tribune is growing fast under your captaincy. I have liked your words that the growth of the newspaper is not the result of a “superior market strategy” but a consequence of the truest generations of readers have put in the paper.

I may add to it that the trust has not been breached anytime, not even under stressful times. It is difficult to maintain self-set standards of clean journalism in the times of cut-throat competition. Wishing you a prosperous innings.

I M
Soni, Chandigarh

A long journey

I send my best wishes on the launching of NCR Tribune. Keep up the excellent standards of the paper. There is going to be a long journey in making The Tribune a breakfast item with a large majority of Delhi readers.

Joginder Singh, IPS (retd),
New Delhi

Liberal, secular

In my professional life as a journalist, I know of the esteem in which The Tribune is held. Even before I became a journalist, as a school student in Srinagar, Kashmir, in the early forties, The Tribune was the only newspaper widely circulated there. Delhi newspapers were not much heard of. I am delighted to find that it has maintained that position of eminence among the readers of this country. Everyday, its coming from Lahore was looked forward to all over the area where I grew up. In our family, it used to be my duty to read out The Tribune every evening to my grandfather, the educationist Ram Chandra Dar, who was a great admirer of the legendary Kali Nath Ray.

The Partition brought about much change but the Tribune as it shifted to Shimla, Ambala and Chandigarh continued to be the favourite newspaper. Under the leadership of journalists like Prem Bhatia, V N Narayanan and yourself, it has gone from strength to strength. Its liberal and secular ideals strengthen the causes for which our country stands.May I wish you even more glorious service to the cause of journalism.

A N Dar,
New Delhi

Good coverage

Heartiest congratulations on your launching the NCR Tribune. May God bless The Tribune. In Hyderabad, there is a large North Indian and Punjabi population, most of them are serving or retired Defence families. I am sure that they would like to read The Tribune as it gives good coverage of events in the North. You might consider making The Tribune available in Hyderabad.

The dates on which the nomination papers of the candidates of this province for the Punjab Legislative Council and the Legislative Assembly will be received by the returning official concerned have been fixed from October 27 to November 5, both days inclusive November 8 has been fixed for the scrutiny of nominations. Polling for the election of members from the general constituencies will be held between November 23 and 30 according to local conditions in each district.